GNFS blamed for poor response to Kumasi court fire

A registrar at the Kumasi circuit court, Mrs Mary Osei, in response to the currently fire outbreak at their court chambers, has slapped the Ghana National Fire Service ( G.N.F.S ) for it's poor response towards their call to quench the fire which led to the destruction of some dockets and documents few days ago.

She disclosed this to journalist that, although, the cause of the fire is not clear now but, “the response from the emergency personnel as to which the fire started was very poor”.

Mrs. Osei also added that, as they picked the phone to call the personnel, it took them more time before their arrival, even after their arrival at the scene, the personnel claimed that the rope to be connected to the water tanker was too short to be used”, she added.

Mrs. Osei, further stated that, they could have quenched the fire before it got out of hand, but due to negligence, poor resources and bad attitude of the personnel, the flames got higher.

The circuit court registrar therefore, appealed to the government, to put measures across to overcome such situations as soon as possible.

Source : Sammy Adjei / Newsghana.com.gh

Less Fire Safety, More Risk, More Fire Safety, No Risk

When it comes to ensuring Fire Safety in both our homes and offices, the emphansis is been laid on only public and private places which I think is wrong. Equal attention has to be given to educating our homes and offices to enable us change the attitude of Ghanaians towards practicing the best fire safety culture.

Though I'm quite young, the number fire outbreaks that I have witnessed, have forced me to believe that Ghana as a nation has to take fire safety culture as a serious business, it is only in so doing that we can prevent our lives and property from being destroyed by fires.

The question about whether the National Fire Service is up and doing with regards to educating the public on the best safety practices remains unanswered and whether the the general public is putting into practice what the National Fire Service is preaching has also remained unanswered.

We live in a country where people can use huge sums of Ghana cedis to buy luxury cars but cannot use less than two hundred cedis to buy just one fire extinguisher that can be placed in same car they toiled to buy just in case of any accidental fires.

The story is the same when it comes to our homes. When building our homes. We put in place measures that will prevent any external person that will come and cause harm to us (armed robbers) but do not care about armed robbers that we created through our activities ( fire outbreaks).

We have burglar-proofed all the entrances of our homes but yet there is no single fire extinguisher or early fire detector ( smoke detector ) in our homes.

Majority of Ghanaians have refused to switch off their switches and sockets before leaving their homes and offices. When you go to public places, the first thing one is expected to see is a security officer. A very good example is our banks, one is expected to meet a well equipped police officer and a private security in addition. I bet you, just request for a fire safety officer and they won't be able to provide you one.

Fire Safety Culture is just not the priority of majority of Ghanaians. We have to change our way of life which is to practice what the National Fire Service preaches.

Churches, Schools, Private and public organizations should invite the Fire Service for free education programs. This will go a very long way to help and safeguard us from unwanted fires because 'Fire is a good servant but a bad master'.

Source: By Bless Kwesi Ankudey
 

Photos: Bushfires destroy Volta cocoa farms

 





Large swathes of cocoa farms in the northern part of the Volta Region have been burnt by bushfires that swept through them on Friday.

Apart from cocoa farms, palm plantations, cassava, plantain and other crop fields have been destroyed in the past three weeks by bush fires, which spread through quickly as a result of the prolonged, harsh Harmattan weather which prevailed until recently.

Farmers in Kadjebi, Jasikan, Nkwanta North and Nkwanta South had to fight those fires for hours.

Class News’ regional correspondent Emmanuel Atukpa reported that farmers whose farms have been spared the destruction are compelled to keep wake on their farms to prevent arsonists from setting their farms ablaze.

According to Atukpa, some of the affected farmers have become arsonists themselves, and are also burning other people’s farms.

Source: ghanaweb.com

LODD: Inmate firefighter dies from wildfire injury

Shawna Lynn Jones, 22, died from injuries she sustained after being struck by a boulder

Critically Injured Inmate Firefighter Airlifted From Fire To Hospital

MALIBU, Calif. — A 22-year-old inmate firefighter who was struck by a boulder as she assisted in extinguishing a Malibu brush fire this week, has died, officials said Friday.

Shawna Lynn Jones died Thursday of her injuries, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilition.

Jones, 22, was struck by a boulder that had rolled down a hill while she was helping to fight fire near Mulholland Highway and Bardman Street.

Officials with the department of corrections said she was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center, where she was listed in critical condition with major head injuries.

Early Thursday morning, Jones was removed from life support after her organs were donated, in keeping with her family’s wishes, officials said.

“Her death is a tragic reminder of the danger that inmate firefighters face when they volunteer to confront fires to save homes and lives,” said CDCR Secretary Scott Kernan. “On behalf of all of us in the department, I send my deepest condolences to her family.”

Jones, a Los Angeles County jail inmate, had joined CDCR’s firefighting program in August 2015 and was assigned to the Malibu Camp, one of three camps that house 195 women firefighters. The program is operated jointly with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

There are 3,500 inmate firefighters in California who help during blazes by cutting containment lines to stop the spread of wildfires and douse hot spots during cleanup.

Jones was the third inmate firefighter to die on a fire line since the camp program began in 1943.

The fire she was helping to fight was contained on Friday. It had burned about 10 acres.

Source: firerescue1.com

Fire ravages Kumasi Court Complex

The Kumasi Court Complex was a scene of commotion on Wednesday as judges, lawyers, prosecutors and parties seeking justice tried to outdo one another as they ran for their lives when some of the offices in the complex caught fire.

They ran out of the courtrooms when they saw thick smoke bellowing from one of the chambers on top of Circuit Court Three.

Proceedings at some of the courts were suspended, as the damage caused was such that those courts could not sit again.

The building houses two High Courts, Circuit Court Three and the chambers of three judges.

Fire

The fire, which lasted less than an hour, completely burnt the chambers of Mr Ekow Mensah, a Circuit Court judge, and that of Mr Justice Apenkwah, a High Court judge, while part of the chambers of Mr Justice Kossi Efo Kaglo was damaged.

All documents, dockets, previous rulings, law reports and exhibits kept in the chambers of the judges were destroyed in the fire.

According to a prosecutor at the court, Chief Inspector Joe Debrah, smoke was seen coming out of one of the rooms, a situation which compelled the people, including the judges, to run out of the courtrooms to safety.

Firefighters from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Fire Station were on hand to douse the flames.

They were joined by their colleagues from the Kumasi Metro Fire Service Station located near the court.

Effect

Mr Justice Kaglo said the incident would greatly affect justice delivery in the region, since cases whose dockets were burnt in the fire would have to start afresh.

Besides that, he said, evidence on cases before the judges had been lost and that would affect the ruling in those cases.

Official

The Ashanti Regional Administrator of the Judicial Service, Mr Noel Agodzo, said it was too early to determine the cause of the fire and that he would have to wait for a report by the Fire Service before he could make any comment on the incident.

Source:graphiconline.com

Ghana: Fire Razes Down Buipe Market ... Buipewura Calls for Immediate Govt Intervention

Buipe — The already deplorable Buipe Central Market narrowly escaped what could have been a devastating fire outbreak during the weekend, but for the timely intervention of personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in Buipe.

In spite of the swift intervention by the fire officers, over 20 stalls were still razed to the ground. The entire Buipe Central Market is full of wooden structures and roofed with thatched material. The Assistant Divisional Officer of the GNFS in the Central Gonja District, Eastward Paddy, told the media that the cause of the fire was not yet known, and that his outfit was investigating it.

According to him, there was no casualty, because the fire did not occur on a market day. The Fire Officer complained about the haphazard manner the Buipe Central Market was constructed, without any proper access roads in case of emergencies.

The Paramount Chief of Buipe, Buipewura Abdulai Jinapor II, after visiting the market to assess the extent of damage, appealed to the government to critically look at the deplorable state of the place and direct resources for its development to befit its status as one of the largest markets in the Northern Region.

The reconstruction of the market, he said, would enhance the economic activities of the people. The Buipe Market attracts traders from Kumasi, Techiman, Dormaa, Berekum, Sunyani, Krachi, Bimbilla, Yendi, Salaga, Makango, Tamale, Wa, Bolgatanga, Bawku, Navrongo and from almost all the regions of Ghana.

It is also patronised by traders from neighbouring Burkina Faso, Togo and Niger, who usually trade in cattle, goats, tomatoes and onions. According to him, the Buipe Market is by far the second largest market, after the Techiman market in the Brong Ahafo Region, and required the urgent attention of the government for upgrading.

Buipe is the gateway to the three Northern Regions and neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, and the market has become attractive to traders from these countries, because it offers them the opportunity to transport goods to and from the southern part of Ghana through the Volta Lake

The Buipe Market is strategically located between the main Kumasi-Burkina Faso trunk road and the Buipe Inland Port on the Black Volta. It is also the central point for all the fishing communities along the White and Black Volta rivers, as well as those along other major rivers, and even people from the coastal areas who come to do business.

Apart from fish, the market has a comparative advantage over the others, due to the large sale of cattle, goats, sheep and guinea fowls. The Buipe Market is also noted for the availability of large quantities of yams, groundnut, sorghum, soya bean, dawadawa, okra, pepper, tomatoes, watermelon and a host of other crops, fruits and vegetables.

The market also witnesses the display of different types of farm inputs, cooking utensils, electrical appliances, clothing, clothes, and other domestic items.

 However, the nature of the market leaves much to be desired especially during the rainy season, as most of the items, including tomatoes, pepper, onion, garden eggs, oranges, carrots, groundnut paste, palm oil and other perishable products are displayed openly on the muddy or dusty ground for buyers to purchase.

Source:allafrica.com

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Two judges lost chambers to fire

Fire on Wednesday swept through a court building in Kumasi, leaving the chambers of two judges in complete ruins.

It totally destroyed the record books files and every document there together with exhibits, air-conditioners and furniture.

It started at about 1030 hours when the courts were sitting and the incident sent people who had packed themselves in the courts fleeing to safer grounds.

The intervention of fire-fighters prevented it from spreading to other offices to wreak more havoc.

Eyewitnesses told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the extent of damage could have been minimized, if personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), had responded swiftly.

They said it took the personnel about 40 minutes to arrive after the fire had started adding that, the story would have been different, had they made it to the place a bit earlier.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Semekor Fiadzo, the Regional Fire Officer, however, discounted the claim that their response to the emergency was slow.

He said they received the distress call at 1100 hours, quickly responded and managed to confine the fire to the two chambers, which had already been engulfed.

Preliminary investigations, he said, pointed to a faulty air conditioner as the cause of the fire.

Source: GNA

Fairfield Township Council Honors Fairfield Volunteer Firefighters

FAIRFIELD, NJ — The Fairfield Township Council honored the men who help keep the town safe 24/7, the Fairfield Volunteer Fire Department, at the Feb. 22 town council meeting.

Councilman Michael McGlynn read the proclamation from the town, which included the names of the firefighters being honored for their years of service to the department: 40-year volunteers Richard VanEerde and Justin Lizza; 25-years volunteers Dan Cerami and Kevin Koch; 20-year volunteer Joe Przbylinski; 15-year volunteer Brian Cusano; and five-year volunteers Matt Napolitano and Wes Mierzwa. McGlynn added that Fairfield “wouldn’t be Fairfield without these guys.”

“I can’t say enough about the volunteers of this town,” said Council President Joseph Cifelli, acknowledging the volunteers’ hard work. “This department is the backbone of this town. These are the guys who, if you have a problem, leave their families to help you.”

Township Business Administrator Joseph Catenaro made special note about the volunteer aspect of the department.

“Believe it or not, there are people in the community who do not know these gentlemen are volunteers,” said Catenaro. “They just assume a fire department is paid. What they do for the township, risking life and limb, they do without the benefit of a paycheck.”Catenaro encouraged individuals and media to learn more about the work the Fairfield Volunteer Fire Department does for the town.

The Fairfield Volunteer Fire Department currently has 28 active members, who undergo at least 30 hours of training per year. The 38th Annual Pancake Breakfast to help support the department will be held this year on March 20.

Source:tapinto.net

Fire union files complaint over budget, staff cuts

Proposed budget cuts would eliminate six high-level staff positions; the union president said members are being treated unfairly.

DAVENPORT, Iowa — A fire union in Iowa has filed a complaint with the state over proposed fire department budget and staffing cuts.

The Quad City Times reported that the Davenport Fire Department's new budget would include $255,000 in cuts and the elimination of several staff positions.

The complaint was filed after the union was told a district chief, captain, two lieutenants and two engineers would be demoted this year. Four of the six members were just promoted in December.

"It was a normal, scheduled union mangement meeting," said Chief Washburn. "We had a very good discussion."Fire union president Ryan Hanghian and Fire Chief Lynn Washburn met with the city administrator and an alderman to discuss concerns over the decrease in staff.

"We're working toward a solution," Hanghian said. "It may not be the best solution. It may not be one we're OK with or we can agree with, but it might be one we can live with."

Washburn said she and other city staff are trying to come up with solutions to cut the fire department's budget. She did not elaborate on what those solutions might be.

The complaint said the city is blaming the union for the demotions and has told union representatives to stop posting signs about the dispute. Yard signs informing residents about the ongoing feud have popped up around the community.

"I didn't stand up at a mayor's press conference that we were OK with the current level of staffing," Hanghian said. "Because of that, our membership was thrown back on the table for demotions. That's not fair. We don't make department policy."

Union members have been reprimanded for posting the signs.

"Our membership has a right," Hanghian said. "This community has the right to know what they're getting for their tax dollar. We want our guys to be treated fairly. They're allowed to do certain things. Freedom of speech is allowed."

Source: firerescue1.com

Off-duty firefighter killed after running through traffic

Tonya Johnson, who was just recently married, got into an argument about directions with her husband; she left the car and was struck while attempting to cross a highway.

Firefighter-paramedic Tonya Johnson (Courtesy photo)

AKRON, Ohio — An off-duty firefighter and paramedic who was killed Monday while crossing state Route 8 during rush hour had been married just nine days earlier.

Tonya R. Johnson, 43, of Canton, died of blunt force trauma to the head when she was struck by a pickup truck at about 4 p.m., according to the Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office. The incident caused a 10-car chain reaction crash, though no one else was seriously injured.

Police said Johnson was traveling southbound on Route 8 with her husband, who was driving, when an argument about directions broke out between the newlyweds. Her husband told police he pulled their vehicle onto the right side of the road near East Tallmadge Avenue and she left the car without warning, crossed southbound traffic and climbed over the cement barrier. She was struck by a northbound Nissan pickup truck while attempting to cross the highway.

The incident closed lanes in both directions. Southbound lanes opened after about an hour, and northbound lanes opened at about 7 p.m.

According to the Canton Repository's website, at least two of Johnson's relatives were on their way to Akron to get her before the accident.

Regina Skinner, a cousin who lived with Johnson, said Johnson called her asking for a ride, the cantonrep.com reported Tuesday. Skinner told the Repository that the couple had been having marital problems.

Skinner said she was stuck in Route 8 traffic when Johnson’s husband called her to tell her about the accident. She also told the Repository that Johnson’s son was also trying to get to his mother in Akron when he was involved in a car accident in Canton.

The medical examiner's office released Johnson’s name on Tuesday morning after her family was notified. She had two sons and a daughter, co-workers said.

She was married on Feb. 13, according to Stark County Probate Court records.

Clerks said they completed the paperwork to finalize the marriage on Monday, the same day she died.

Canton Fire Chief Thomas Garra said in a news release that Johnson would be deeply missed.

"Our condolences and sympathy are with her family at this time," Garra said in a news release. "She was an excellent firefighter/paramedic and served the city well."

Johnson joined the department on May 18, 1998. According to the fire chief, funeral and memorial services have not been determined.

Source: firerescue1.com

Wis. fire department to cut back on sirens, lights

The new protocol aims to improve safety by reducing the amount of emergency vehicle crashes

GREENFIELD, Wis. — First responders in Wisconsin are debating the safety and efficiency of using lights and sirens when responding to emergency calls.

WISN.com reported researchers estimate about 12,000 emergency vehicles crash on their way to an emergency every year. First responders are trying to bring that number down by saving lights and sirens for critical emergencies only.

“Some people will tend to panic when they see the lights and sirens coming up behind them. Their reaction can be unpredictable,” said Lt. Zach Zimmer.

An ambulance with its lights and sirens on arrive just one minute sooner than a fire engine that drives through the flow of traffic, according to the report.

“It's almost easier and safer for us to navigate through traffic when we just kind of blend in so to speak,” said Lt. Ben Krueger.

Next week, Milwaukee County will advise all first responders to keep their lights and sirens off while transporting patients to the hospital unless the situation escalates.

Source: firerescue1.com

Fire Guts Six Stores In Wassa Akropong

Fire gutted six wooden stores at Wassa Akropong in the Amenfi East District of the Western Region on Monday afternoon, destroying property worth thousands of Ghana Cedis.

An eyewitness, Francis Adu, told the Ghana News Agency that a gentleman was welding a metal container with an electrical welding machine when sparkles from the electrical welding machine caught the mattresses stuffed in the container and spread to other wooden stores in the area.

He said the fire started around 1530 hours and it took more than an hour to extinguish the inferno with the support of some residents in the neighbourhood.

Mr. Adu, a City Guard, indicated that the stores were owned by some hairdressers and seamstresses in the area.

The eyewitness said the personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service arrived at the scene after the fire had been put out.

No casualty was recorded.

Source: peacefmonline.com

7 steps to cleaner firefighter PPE

Wearing dirty turnout gear is not a badge of honor; here's how to protect your gear and your health

  

Many firefighters still take pride in wearing heavily soiled and well-worn personal protective clothing.

Science, however, demonstrates the fallacy of such sentiment. Contaminated turnout gear will off-gas toxic, cancer-causing materials that can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

Keeping clothing clean and properly maintained is not only a way to extend the life of the clothing, but also that of the firefighter. To get it clean, there are seven basic steps to follow.

1. Follow the NFPA and manufacturer's instructions
NFPA 1851 is the applicable standard for departments to follow to ensure minimum procedures for the inspection, cleaning, repair, storage and retirement of the clothing ensemble.

While NFPA has established the standard, the individual protective clothing manufacturers specify the care and maintenance procedures for their products.

Chapter 7 of NFPA 1851 specifies the necessary actions for the cleaning and drying of the ensemble components. It defines three types of cleaning: routine, advanced and specialized.

It is incumbent on officers and firefighters alike to know those specific manufacturer recommendations and to diligently follow them. The individual firefighter bears ultimate responsibility for the proper care and maintenance of their ensemble.

2. Care for your gear from the beginning
Every entry-level firefighter training program typically begins with introducing the future firefighter to their protective ensemble — how to wear it, how to inspect it and how to clean it.

Historically, we've probably spent more time on the first two topics at the expense of the third. We need to change that paradigm.

From the very beginning of their fire service career, firefighters need to develop and maintain the skills and mindset necessary to ensure that their protective clothing is clean and free of potentially harmful contaminants.

3. Do routine cleanings
Routine cleaning is required after any emergency response where soiling has occurred. It involves brushing debris from the clothing, rinsing it with water and applying spot cleaning as necessary.

If further cleaning is necessary, follow these steps to clean it at a utility sink.

• Wear protective gloves and safety glasses.
• Pre-treat heavily soiled areas or spots with a NFPA-compliant degreasing solution.
• Do not use chlorine bleach.
• Use warm water that does not exceed 105° F (40° C).
• Gently brush with a soft bristle brush.
• Rinse thoroughly — this may require draining and refilling the sink several times until the rinse water is clear.
• Air dry by hanging or placing in designated dryer; do not dry in the sun as the UV rays will degrade the outer shell's fabric.
• Inspect for cleanliness after drying.

Any gear that can't be cleaned by these methods should be taken out of service.

4. Do advanced cleaning at least once a year
This is a thorough cleaning that requires personal protective clothing to be taken out of service. Advanced cleaning procedures should be based on the original manufacturer's recommendations.

Advanced cleaning should be conducted at a minimum of every 12 months, or whenever ensemble is soiled to the extent that it cannot be cleaned through routine cleaning.

This also is necessary when there is an obvious odor or visible contamination that cannot be sufficiently removed with routine cleaning. This may include diesel fuel or soil.

5. Pre-treatment severely soiled areas
Pre-treating severely soiled areas of garment component with a specialty spotter agent for turnout gear can greatly enhance the machine laundering process.

When pre-treating, wear hands, eyes and face protection. Allow specialty spotter to soak into the fabric and stain. Gently scrubbing with a soft-bristle brush may help remove stubborn stains.

For globs of tar that have adhered to the fabric, allow the spotter to soak into the tar and fabric. Next, using a plastic or wood scrapper, gently lift tar from the fabric's surface.

6. Choose a laundry machine
Never wash clothing components in a washer that's used for things like work uniforms, bed sheets, etc. Machine washing is best done in a front loading washer/extractor to limit damage caused by top-loading machine agitators.

Washer/extractors specifically designed for laundering protective clothing not only provide more effective cleaning, they also greatly reduce the time to properly dry it because the extractor removes significantly more water from the components.

7. Do specialized cleaning or decontamination after a hazmat incident
NFPA 1851 specifies that when protective clothing has been exposed to known hazardous chemicals or bio-hazards, it should be removed from service for specialized cleaning.

Even today, this is still a nebulous concept.

In April the Fire Protection Research, a new research foundation, initiated a project to clarify contaminant removal from firefighters' personal protective equipment.

This new research effort is certainly good news.

In the meantime, fire departments should continue to rely on the recommendations from manufacturers for specific guidance on what steps to take with protective clothing that's been contaminated with a known chemical or bio-hazard material.

If firefighters and their chief officers ensure these seven steps are taken, more firefighters can be working in cleaner and safer turnout gear. And maybe the new badge of honor will be squeaky-clean bunkers.

Source: firerescue1.com